1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with a box having interlockable closure flaps, as well as a corresponding box blank. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved box or blank construction wherein adjacent top closure flaps are specially configured with cut lines and lines of weakness to greatly facilitate manual interlocking of the flaps such as to permit the box to be used for temporary storage purposes, notwithstanding the fact that the box can be taped shut and sealed for use as a shipping container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In certain industries it is common practice to have various types or styles of articles produced by independent contractors and/or at various manufacturing locations, whereupon the manufactured materials are sent to a central warehouse and distribution facility. In such cases it is customary to box the manufactured materials (e.g., greeting cards or the like) in warehouse boxes which are advantageously temporarily closed. At the warehouse facility, orders for specific items for the merchandise can be filled and boxed for shipment to retail outlets.
One conventional procedure employed in the past has been to use standard rectangular boxes of conventional design for both warehouse and shipping purposes. However, in order to temporarily close such boxes for warehouse storage, it has been necessary either to tie the boxes with twine using mechanical knotters or the like, or to interlock the top closure panels of the boxes. The first alternative is objectionable for two principal reasons. First, the expense involved in the purchase and upkeep of tying and knotting equipment is considerable, not to mention the manual labor attendant thereto. Furthermore, the string or twine used in such procedures is a continual problem, not only from the standpoint of cleanup, but also because such string, when cut, tends to foul conveying and handling equipment used in the warehouse. The second alternative mentioned avoids some of the above problems, but it is for the most part unacceptable because of the fact that manual interlocking of conventional box flaps tends to structurally damage or tear the boxes, thus making them unusable for final shipping purposes.
It has also been known to provide separate warehouse and shipping cartons which are not used interchangeably. The prime difficulty with this alternative is one of cost, i.e., heavy-duty reusable warehouse boxes must not only be purchased and maintained, but must also be sent back empty to the manufacturing plants for reuse.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a box construction which can be effectively used for both warehouse storage and shipping purposes, while avoiding the problems associated with tying or box damage from manual interlocking of the box flaps.